Rampaging cockers!!

[Mumsygill]

Hi all. I am the not so proud Mum to Buster,choc & white 3 yr old male and Rocky,black & tan rehomed 5yr old male.
I am new to this site but hope that someone may be able to help me. For some time now,when I take the boys out,as soon as I let them off the lead Buster barks and barks and rushes up to the nearest dog he sees. Rocky now copies this behaviour and they seem to charge like pack dogs. Many owners are very upset as my dogs seem quite aggressive(but aren't!).
Nothing I seem to do makes any difference.They are normally well behaved and it seems like excitement but the problem seems to be getting worse.
This morning I was in tears as another dog owner gave me"a piece of her mind" and i can feel myself more and more nervous about walking them.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thank you 

[rubyduby]

I do understand , I had this with my two black Cockers, fortunately I live near forestry and found myself , instead of facing the problem scurrying off to areas where confrontation is less likely.
Maybe walking them seperately for a while might help , I think there is a pack mentality working here, one dog is bouncing off the other (so to speak) maybe if you took them out individually they may not be so bolshie when it is one to one, it will also give you chance to take control of the situation.
It is fine watching experts train dogs on TV(caesar etc) but they have other people who will help i.e by walking their dogs past etc etc....sadly the general public is less accommodating
It may be possible to take them individually allowing them reasonable access to other dogs  ( the more you rein them in , the more they will be agitated by your own actions) try it for a while then maybe get someone to walk one of the dogs a short distance behind, so they are still basically seperated and individually controllable and gradually close the gap......... 

[Hurtwood Dogs]

Your very best bet is to find a good qualified (APDT) behaviourist/trainer to help you, but here are some suggestions which might help.

I agree with walking them separately for a while. I have a rescue with dog to dog issues and she is a lot worse when I walk the two dogs together.

It sounds a little like they're running riot and not paying any attention to you. There is nothing wrong with keeping them on-lead for a while to get them out of the habit of bombing off and bullying and get them to calm down a little on walks.. Your nervousness may well be adding to the problem but it's not easy to stop that if you are expecting trouble.. if they are on lead and can't do it, then you won't be nervous and they can't pick up on something that isn't there!

I'd REALLY focus on recall and do it individually - if you don't use a whistle already get one and start training them to recall to that as dogs hear whistles more than they'll notice you yelling. Take some REALLY tasty treats with you (bits of roast chicken work in this house) and only let them off where you know you can get the attention back on you quickly and easily and reward like mad with a tasty treat. Make yourself more interesting - take a ball or play lots of games with them to keep them focused on you. If recall is a problem then you can buy a harness and longline (this is a 10-15m line that you leave permanently attached to the harness on walks and within reach of you - so the dogs can't go too far from you) the line can drag on the ground and if the dog ignores recall then jump on the line and bring him back in... every time you want him - don't let him ignore you.

Basically, you want to break the habit they are in and the only way to do that is stop them doing it and offer them an alternative interest.. the more times a dog does something the more likely he is to do it. This works with bad habits AND good so you can use it to your advantage - the more times you let them off and get a successful recall if they spot another dog, then the more likely they will be to do it in the future.

It's hard work and there is no easy fix but you can change how you do things and manage them better and in time they will improve!

Hope that helps

[clairep4]

Good suggestions from Hannah. I had to start keeping my two onlead for the first few minutes a while back for the same reason and it does help.

Another trick is to take a few treats with you and just before you let them off the lead, throw them down on the ground a few feet away so that your dogs see them. Then when you let them off, they're more likely to busy themselves with finding the treats than haring off after other dogs (but obviously don't do this if other dogs are close by as that's asking for trouble  ).  Once they start to associate the leads being taken off with the treats, progress to holding onto the treats rather than scattering them, the idea being that you want them to focus on you when the leads are taken off rather than focussing on the rest of the park.  You'll need to take really high value treats and be consistent with it but it might help.

[Mumsygill]

Thank you all for your comments. There are some really good ideas there and will start work tomorrow(had a nice long walk today away from the madding crowds - phew!!)
Will let you know what happens.
Thanks again

[Sarah1985]

Clover is abit of a barker. She does it in excitment and luckerly the rest of her bosy movement suggests excitement so other dogs know shes playing, but I do get some funny looks from other people. I keep her at heel if i see anything strange approaching she is much better if shes in training mode than when shes running about.

[Top Barks]

Are either of them interested in balls? is this just when you let them off or for the whole walk?

[fizzyntiffy]

Hmmm, some interesting ideas for me there.  Will be watching with interest.

[Mumsygill]

Only Buster likes balls but then won't leave them just chews them to bits.
Its worse when I first let them off but does continue to a lessor degree as the walk goes on.seems to quiet down a bit when they are tired.
did wonder if Buster is being protective of me as they are definately mummys boys!!When the family walk them it still happens but no where near so bad.

[Hurtwood Dogs]

Only Buster likes balls but then won't leave them just chews them to bits.
Its worse when I first let them off but does continue to a lessor degree as the walk goes on.seems to quiet down a bit when they are tired.
did wonder if Buster is being protective of me as they are definitely mummys boys!!When the family walk them it still happens but no where near so bad.

I think it's common that different people/dogs walking together can trigger more extreme behaviour. My Weim can be worse if I have the kids (they're young 7rys and 1.5 yrs) and as I've already mentioned if I walk her and the cocker at the same time but she's better if OH is there with us as well..... presumably he'll save us if there's in trouble My cocker only reacts if the kids are directly threatened (by another dog) and he doesn't bully, just herds the problem dog(s) away and pops himself between them and the kids, otherwise he's a pretty chilled out chap.